What is ailing the Michigan football program was not cured Saturday night by an 18-13 victory over Penn State.

The Wolverines floundered offensively. They looked out-of-sync in many ways. Michigan football is still anything but a well-oiled machine.

One “gritty” or “ugly” or any other way you want to use to describe outlasting mediocre competition in a defensive struggle (or exercise in offensive futility) isn’t going to change that.

While it was hardly redemption for embattled UM coach Brady Hoke, and athletic director Dave Brandon (there were “fire Brandon” chants before the game even began), it was, however, at least a step back toward respectability, albeit a small one.

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It was also a step back in time. Michigan Stadium was packed. The disenchantment didn’t linger long. The big crowd was mostly happy, and left feeling pleased for a change.

“It wasn’t pretty sometimes, but they (his team) played together and stuck together,” Hoke said.

“The environment and crowd – there is no better in this country than at Michigan Stadium.”

So this is hardly a powerhouse version of Penn State. So the game at Michigan State in two weeks remains like an ominous cloud hanging over Michigan’s football program.

The Wolverines won’t have two weeks to ponder their still sad state of affairs before being fed to the Spartans, but instead two weeks to relish a rare Big Ten victory. Michigan had, after all, lost eight of its previous 11 conference games.

Michigan’s offense continues to have the same problems. The Wolverines can’t run the football – at all. They had 64 yards rushing, 25 on a scramble by quarterback Devin Gardner.

The Wolverines’ only hope on the ground is Gardner, and when he hurt his ankle in the second half, his mobility was gone, and he became a sitting duck in the pocket behind a shaky offensive line, absorbing several big shots.

Once in a while, wide receiver Devin Funchess will make a big play. He made a brilliant touchdown catch in the first half, literally snatching the ball from Penn State safety Ryan Keiser. In fairness, wide receiver Amara Darboh, who had been underachieving, made a couple nice catches in the first half Saturday. Kicker Matt Wile made his field goal tries. Whooopee!!!

That’s it. It is boring and dull and unimaginative. Just bad offensive football, really.

Yet at least Michigan’s defense did an excellent job of containing Penn State’s offense. Highly-touted sophomore quarterback Christian Hackenberg had little time to pass. Penn State’s running game was no more effective than Michigan’s. Wolverines’ defensive end Frank Clark had an excellent game.

The result was a rather dull encounter in which each coach looked more like they were playing not to lose rather than to win, although Penn State coach James Franklin played into Michigan’s hands with an ill-advised fake punt during the second half.

There are times when it is difficult to not feel sorry for Gardner. He plays hard. He played hurt Saturday. He made a lot of good throws.

Hoke said Gardner has matured into, “a tremendous leader.”

Yet, it seemed inevitable the turnover card was going to come up. When Gardner threw an interception on a screen pass to Penn State defensive tackle Anthony Zettel, it wasn’t a shock. It was typical.

It set up a 28-yard touchdown drive by Penn State in four plays. It was Penn State’s only TD.

This wasn’t the Utah game or the Minnesota game or the Rutgers game. Michigan didn’t come unglued this time.

About the Author

Pat Caputo has written as a beat writer and sports columnist for The Oakland Press since 1984 and blogs at http://patcaputo.blogspot.com/. Reach the author at pat.caputo@oakpress.com
or follow Pat on Twitter: @PatCaputo98.